Dutch Blitz scoring isn’t hard, but it’s one of those areas most people struggle with a little bit.
Some points count against you, and some don’t.
You use some cards to count, and others you ignore.
This is why I wanted to write up this quick guide on how to score Dutch Blitz and a FREE printable scorecard.
To score in Dutch Blitz, you need to track positive and negative points until one player gets to 75 and wins the game. At the end of each hand, count the cards in the Blitz Pile only where each is worth negative two points. Then, separate the cards in the Dutch Piles by card back for positive one point each.
Look ahead for more details, answers to commonly asked questions related to scoring, and our printable score sheet for both 4 and 8 players.
If you don’t know how to play Dutch Blitz, check out our complete guide for everything you need to know A to Z.
Table of Contents
Printable Dutch Blitz Score Card
Click the button to download and print off our scorecard for free!
One side of the PDF is a scorecard for 2-4 players; the other side is designed for 2-8 players.
If you run out of space (some games go for a long time), transfer the total and use another sheet.
Scoring Dutch Blitz: Counting The Negative Points
This step is where I see a lot of folks have questions or count wrong.
Play of the game continues until someone has emptied their Blitz Pile and yells, “Blitz!”
At this point, everyone stops.
The scorekeeper gets their handy dandy score sheet (or piece of paper and pencil) and writes down a 0 for the person who went out.
Next, each player counts the number of cards left in the Blitz Pile only.
They multiply this number by two and write it down as a negative.
Each card left in the Blitz Pile is worth negative two (-2).
Do we also count cards left in the Post Piles?
No, cards in the post pile don’t count against you, so if you can get cards out of the Blitz and into the Post, you should.
Though it won’t give you points, it’ll remove negative points at the end.
Are some cards worth more or less than others?
No. In some games (like Hand and Foot), cards left unplayed are worth negative value depending on their value.
But in Dutch Blitz, every card leftover is worth an equal -2 points, whether its a one or a ten.
What’s a good number to have left?
Luck plays an important role in Dutch Blitz, but speed and skill do as well.
Most people will be able to get 5 or fewer cards leftover in their Blitz pile on average.
Most of the time, it’ll be a little less than this, but there are still times you’ll be stuck with more.
Score Dutch Blitz: Positive Points
After you’ve counted the negative points, it’s time to focus on the good things!
Put your Blitz, Post, and Wood Piles into one and off to the side.
None of these are used for counting points to the good.
Usually, we have one person combine all Dutch Piles into a single stack and then sort them by the color and design on their back.
In traditional Dutch Blitz, you’ll see a carriage, pump, how, and bucket.
The Dutch Blitz expansion uses the same picture but changes the color.
If you play Dutch Blitz with regular cards, you’ll use the same card numbers (Ace-10) with different backs.
Once separated, each player gets their pile back.
Don’t mix them in with the others you have!
It never fails that someone forgets and messes up the game.
Keep this pile separate until you count the number of cards you have.
Each card played in the Dutch Pile is worth a positive 1 point.
The scorekeeper should write down these points and the negatives.
After both have been counted, the scorekeeper adds (or subtracts) everything and combines it with your total.
The game continues until someone gets to 75 points.
As the regular scorekeeper in my family and friend group, I always have three rows.
The first is the total from the previous round, the second is the negative points, and the third is the positive points.
I first reconcile the negative and positive points. Then, I add or subtract this sum from the total.
This is how I structured the Dutch Blitz score sheet above, but if you have a different method you prefer, go for it!
What Do I Do With The Wood Pile? Post Pile?
A lot of folks get hung up on the Wood Pile and Post Piles.
What do they do after the hand is over?
Nothing!
Post Piles serve the main purpose of helping get cards out of the Blitz Pile.
Wood Pile cards help add points by playing them in the Dutch Pile and moving things around for the Blitz Pile.
Once the hand is over, we typically combine these two in a single pile and set it off to the side, so we don’t count them as extra positive or negative points.
How To Win At Dutch Blitz
To win at Dutch Blitz, you need to be the first person to score 75 points.
You increase your score in two ways:
- Be rid of your Blitz Pile first (avoiding as many negative points as possible).
- Playing more cards in the Dutch Piles.
As simple as this sounds, there is some strategy to the game.
My wife and I play a lot, and though we both play with different strategies, she tends to beat me more often.
The main reason for this is that she plays cards fast and sees what she needs quicker.
I’ll be honest: a quicker hand and even faster eye are needed to win this game a lot.
All this being said, there are a few general tips to follow to help you win more games:
- Take care of Blitz cards first.
- Don’t stack on your Post Piles unless you have no other choice. These lock-up cards slow down your Blitz Pile.
- Play Wood Pile cards whenever you see them. Don’t hesitate.
- Anticipate how far away your Post and Blitz pile cards are from being played. Keep an eye on when others play in the same color Dutch Pile.
- Take a look at what your opponents have. If they’re similar to yours, be ready to sneak your card in before or after theirs where appropriate.
- If someone cuts you off before playing, or you get flustered, keep going. Don’t let it get to you. Something else will come up.
- Play often. Once you’re more used to the fast-paced style, you’ll see combinations of cards much better.
- If you have a high card on top of your Blitz Pile, do everything you can to get it out right away, including stacking on the Post Piles.
Check out more details in our article on Dutch Blitz strategies.
